Dan Barrow

Dan Barrow began rowing while at West Philly’s Catholic High School, and sat in a combined Philadelphia high school eight which won the 1927 national prep crown. It was the first of many national titles for Barrow who did most of his rowing for the Penn AC. Early in his career, as a sweeper, he helped the eight-oared shell from that club win the World Championships at Belgium in 1930. Though world records are not recognized in rowing, due to the variability in courses, the time set that year by the Penn AC rowers was mentioned for many years in the Guinness Book as the fastest time ever for a 2,000 meter course. In 1933, Dan Barrow switched over to sculling and won the 1934 and 1935 national titles in the doubles. He also was on the 1935 quads national champion and, in a rarely held event, the 1936 octuple sculls national champion. His only singles championships came in 1936, which qualified him for his only Olympic appearance.